Art done by Probably Ed Vebell
Blurb: This series is very spread out, so much that the order of the books is mostly irrelevant. The only recommendation I would give is that Tai-Pan should be read before Noble House. In addition to the timeline, each book is pretty different, and I don't believe it's difficult that someone may enjoy one story and then dislike another. With all that preamble though, here's the blurb for the first book by publication:
(Blurb from King Rat): The time is World War II. The place is a brutal prison camp deep in Japanese-occupied territory. Here, within the seething mass of humanity, one man, an American corporal, seeks dominance over both captives and captors alike. His weapons are human courage, unblinking understanding of human weaknesses, and total willingness to exploit every opportunity to enlarge his power and corrupt or destroy anyone who stands in his path.
Review: Great wide ranging series. For any specifics I would refer to the individual reviews of each book, as it'd be misleading to write a single review for all. If forced, then I'd concede to 'solid series, big recommend'.